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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. object — to protest
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. object — a thing
  10. cue — a signal
  11. object — an aim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ball — a dance
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. toast — bread
  19. mate — to breed
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mate — a partner
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com